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2. |
In particular, the Council shall be
empowered,
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(a)
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by a unanimous vote of all the Member
States:
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(i)
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to decide on the accession of states
referred to in Article 15.3, and on the terms and conditions governing such
accession;
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(ii)
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to decide on amendments to the Annexes and
on the date of their entry into force;
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(iii)
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to approve the conclusion of cooperation
Agreements with non-member States;
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(iv)
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to decide to dissolve or not to dissolve
EUMETSAT in conformity with Article 19;
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(v)
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to decide on the modalities for embarking on
the execution of systems other than that defined in Annex I and matching the
objectives of EUMETSAT;
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(b)
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by a two-thirds majority vote of the Member
States present and voting representing also at least two-thirds of the total
amount of contributions:
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(i)
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to adopt the annual budget, together with
the level of staff complements and the expenditure and income forecast for
the following three years attached thereto;
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(ii)
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to approve annually the accounts of the
previous year, together with the balance sheet of the assets and liabilities
of EUMETSAT, after taking note of the auditor's report, and give discharge to
the Director in respect of the implementation of the budget;
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(iii)
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to adopt the appropriate measures referred
to in Article 9.4;
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(iv)
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to adopt the financial rules as well as all
other financial provisions;
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(v)
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to fix the amount of the special payment
referred to in Article 16.5;
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(vi)
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to decide on the way EUMETSAT will be
dissolved pursuant to the provisions of Article 19.3 and 4;
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(vii)
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to decide on the exclusion of a Member State
pursuant to the provisions of Article 13;
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(viii)
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to decide on any transfer of the EUMETSAT
Headquarters;
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(ix)
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to adopt the staff rules;
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(c)
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by a two-thirds majority of the Member
States present and voting,
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(i)
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to appoint the Director for a specific
period, and terminate or suspend his appointment; in the case of suspension
the Council shall appoint an Acting Director;
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(ii)
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to define the operational specifications of
the European meteorological satellite system, as well as the products and
services which the system will provide to the Member States, as described in
Annex I;
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(iii)
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to approve the conclusion of any Agreement
with Member States, international governmental and non-governmental
organisations, or national organisations of Member States;
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(iv)
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to adopt recommendations to the Member
States concerning amendments to this Convention;
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(v)
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to adopt its own rules of procedure;
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(vi)
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to appoint the auditors and to decide the
length of their appointments;
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(d)
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by a majority of the Member States present
and voting,
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(i)
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to approve appointments and dismissals of
senior staff;
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(ii)
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to decide on the setting-up of subsidiary
bodies and working groups and define their terms of reference;
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(iii)
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to decide on any other measures not
explicitly provided for in this Convention.
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3. |
Each Member State shall have one vote in
the Council. However, a Member State shall have no vote in the Council if the
amount of its arrears of contributions exceeds the assessed amount of its
contributions for the current financial year. In such case the Member State
concerned may nevertheless be authorised to vote if a two-thirds majority of
all the Member States entitled to vote considers that the non-payment is due to
circumstances beyond its control. For the purpose of determining unanimity or
the majorities provided for in the present Convention, no account shall be
taken of a Member State that is not entitled to vote.
The expression "Member States present and
voting" shall mean the Member States voting for or against. Member States that
abstain shall be considered as not voting.
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